HEMET: Infant dies while being cared for at apparent unlicensed daycare facility

HEMET – Police are investigating the death of a 7-month-old girl who died while being watched at a private residence in the 1200 block of Stepstone Court in Hemet. The quiet, tree-lined neighborhood is in the Stoney Mountain Ranch community, south of W. Esplanade Avenue and east of Warren Road.

The infant, who was later identified as Addison Watkins, “had no obvious signs of trauma,” according to Hemet Police Lieutenant Eddie Pust. She was reportedly found “unresponsive” Monday, March 27, while being cared for at the daycare facility.

Officials believe a woman at the home where the death occurred, who was later identified as Denise Worman, has possibly been operating an unlicensed daycare facility out of the home.

An online records search of registered and licensed daycare facilities in the Hemet area did not yield any information for a licensed daycare facility being run from a residence on Stepstone Court.

Hemet Fire and Police personnel were dispatched to the residence just after 8 a.m., after a 911 caller reported discovering the unresponsive infant at the location.

When they arrived, firefighter/paramedics immediately began life-saving efforts before AMR medics rushed the infant to a nearby hospital. She was later pronounced dead by hospital staff.

“Hemet Police Investigations Bureau responded as part of the investigation,” Pust explained in a social media release.

During their investigation, detectives determined the victim died after being left in Worman’s care.

The victim’s parents told investigating officers they had left their daughter at the residence earlier that morning.

“According to (the infant’s) parents, they have used this residence as a daycare for the past two years,” Pust explained.

Hemet police officials say they are now working with Child Protective Services to determine if there are any daycare licensing issues associated with the residence.

State Social Services visited the residence today, two days after the infant’s death and met with Worman. The outcome of that meeting and interview was not immediately known.

“The death of anyone is extremely tragic but especially painful when it involves a child of any age,” Pust wrote about the incident. “The investigation into the infant’s death is still ongoing and no other information will be released at this time.”

Anyone with information about this death investigation is encouraged to immediately contact Hemet police officials at (951) 765-2400. Callers can remain anonymous.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.